


Strength of Heart

by PocketProtector



Series: Life in the Shadows [2]
Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Angst, Bravery, Friendship, Gen, Heroic Cass moments, Hurt/Comfort, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pain, Protective, taste-tester
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:15:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25100758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PocketProtector/pseuds/PocketProtector
Summary: Big sister, lady-in-waiting, best friend, whatever the job title they all meant the same thing: Bodyguard.This is a collection of one-shots of varying lengths of Cassandra taking care of Rapunzel. Because I just simply didn't get near enough moments of Cass doing heroic things in the shows. These will mostly take place in Season 2.This can be read as a stand alone as it is canon compliant but can also be read as a companion fic to my in-progress story "Shadows".These are subject to switch around in order or possibly change but as of right now here's the outline of the one-shots:1-"Freebird" Re-write (S2)✅2- Cassandra defending Rapunzel from Palace gossip (S1)✅3- Cassandra and Rapunzel face off with a skin-walker (S2)4- "Cassandra Vs. Eugene" What If additional scenes-Requested (S1)5- Extension of the shipwreck in "King Pascal" (S2)6- Mines of Malanay sneak preview chapter to the story I will be doing (S2)7- Cassandra as a soldier in Ingvarr (Post S3)
Relationships: Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel
Series: Life in the Shadows [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1876285
Comments: 43
Kudos: 43





	1. Freebird-re-write

**Author's Note:**

> This first chapter is my take/re-write of the "Freebird" episode from Season 2. Any line you recognize in here is from the tv show (Which belongs to Disney and I give all credit to their writer's genius work!).
> 
> This is one of the longer ones of this series so enjoy!

Cass had been on the road with her charge and their friends for almost half a year now but boy did it feel like much _much_ longer. At least it hadn’t been boring. They’d already revived a desolate town, fought a widely feared crime lord and his ring, restored people’s hopes and careers, and nearly lost their lives to a dark enchanted forest—and most of that was only in the first couple of months.

As much as Cass thrived in the adventure of it all, she had to admit she was _starting_ to feel the strain. Okay, that was a lie. She’d been feeling it for weeks now. And a few feet across the rattling room sat the reason.

The bare-foot princess lay on her bunk, doodling away in her prized journal and kept a side eye on the jostling paints surrounding her.

Tipped back in her chair, Cass glanced away from the apple she was paring and over at her friend. She smirked at the splotches of paint streaked across half of the princess’ face. “Maybe when you run out of paper in that journal you can paint the rest of your face, Raps.”

“Hmm…?” The paintbrush in her hand stilled as Rapunzel looked at Cass questioningly.

Cassandra lifted a finger from her apple to gesture down her own cheek. “You got a little…”

Rapunzel blushed as paint came away with her fingers. “Oh.” A soft giggle. “Thank you. I thought my brush had less paint than I’d picked up.”

Cass chuckled and took a bite of her fruit. Stepping fully into the role of being the princess’ bodyguard for this journey versus only her lady-in-waiting was quite the shift. Mostly a welcome one, but the strain was taking a toll.

It wasn’t that she wanted a break from her friend. The strain wasn’t affecting their relationship or her strength of devotion to Rapunzel. She could just do with a break from unnecessary danger to her charge. But Rapunzel was Rapunzel. When she saw someone hurting, she just had to rush into something head first and help. It was something Cass both admired and bemoaned about her. But she couldn’t blame her for it really. And the princess certainly wasn’t to blame for their trek through the forest of no return or other natural variables they’d stumbled upon thus far.

However, Rapunzel could do better at listening to Cass where matters of safety were concerned. Cass swore the princess made a list in her head everyday of things to be stubborn about just to make her job more difficult. A very _long_ list. And one item of contention that had been on that list since the start of their journey was dining.

Taste-tester was another part of her job description as the princess’ protector now.

Cass hadn’t been trained in it as fully as the actual taste-testers at the palace, but she’d picked up things from her dad and other guards over the years. She’d also been given a crash course in the art in the few days leading up to their departure from Corona. _That_ had been oh so enjoyable.

The test on the last day on ‘the art’—as her instructor had called it— of taste testing had been pretty straight forward; Pick the safe cup of wine to drink or you die.

While deliberating between the cups’ scents and tints, Cass had grinned over the lip of a cup and asked, “Do I get an antidote if I fail?”

Her stone-faced instructor only replied, “There will be no antidote for the princess on the road. Choose correctly.”

The words had sobered her immediately. She already understood what she was being taught, _why_ it was being taught. Cass didn’t take the responsibility of being Rapunzel’s protector lightly for a second. But having it laid before her in such a simple thing as eating and drinking reminded her that a threat could come from anywhere. And it might not always be in human form.

Cass walked out of that test with harmless wine fresh on her tongue but another weight on her shoulders. She would be Rapunzel’s first line of defense in everything. And she couldn’t afford to let her guard down for a second. If she did… well, it was the hard lesson she’d heard her whole life; There is no second chance in battle. And eating, it seemed, would be no exception.

Yet now on the road, _Rapunzel_ , of all people, was making it a greater challenge than it needed to be.

Months ago, at their first meal together out under the stars just barely past the borders of their home, Cass had tested Rapunzel’s food and drink for the first time—despite the meal being served by their friend and from their own trunk.

Rapunzel had given her best friend a side-eyed look as Cass tested the water from the canteen. Once she’d accepted it back, she whispered, “I don’t think that Lance would do something to my food, Cass. And Eugene was the one who gathered the water…”

“I don’t suspect them either, but I’m not going to take any chances out here,” Cass said with a shrug. “Better to get into a habit of checking, anyway.”

Meals continued in the same way in the following weeks; uneventful. _Thankfully._ But with that, Rapunzel’s meek protests steadily grew bolder. And more frequent. Especially about the water, which Cassandra made Rapunzel wait at least fifteen minutes before drinking after she’d checked it with each refilling or relocation. Rapunzel asked her one day, irritated and beyond thirsty, _why_ there had to even be a waiting period. Cass’ answer about waiting for symptoms to show in case she missed something, only added to and strengthened the princess’ protests.

The controversial subject had at least stayed between the two of them… until a few weeks later.

That night, the others joined in, protesting the necessity of the precaution and teasing Cassandra. Taking sips from their canteens and then clutching their stomachs or necks and falling to the ground with grand farewell speeches. Or promising that they hadn’t put anything in the food beyond the absurd list of ingredients they rattled off: Tree moss and chipped flakes of paint off the caravan’s underbelly being two of the best “seasonings”.

Not amused in the slightest, Cass ignored them and lifted Rapunzel’s bowl of vegetable stew to her lips.

“Wait!” Lance’s cry wouldn’t have made Cass lower the bowl if it hadn’t been for the unusual edge in his tone and the tension within his outstretched arms. “I have a confession.”

All the levity in the group disappeared. They stared at Lance, stunned.

Then he’d finished with a smirk, “I secretly put a sprig of rosemary in there too.”

The laugher roared back into their group.

Cass had handed the bowl back to Rapunzel—after taking a sip—and laughed loudly along with the others as she stood, prowled past Eugene who was doubled over in laughter with tears rolling down his cheeks, and promptly tackled Lance off his log. The former thief’s bowl of stew flew through the air along with his shriek of terror.

Despite how everyone ganged up on her that night, it was only when Rapunzel made their next meal entirely by herself and handed her bowl of soup to Cassandra with a mocking smile that she relented. Cass wouldn’t check the food or water first anymore— _if_ they had prepared it themselves. But dining elsewhere was a different matter. With a heavy sigh, Rapunzel had agreed to the deal.

They’d yet to come upon a public outing to test the new agreement but with the kingdom of Koto almost upon them, Cass had a feeling that adventure was about to take place.

Cassandra flung her apple core the few feet into the garbage pail at the door and took to wiping the juice off of her knife with a rag. She lifted the blade and glared down the length of it. The light coming from the multi-colored windows ahead of her barely acknowledged the blade. It could stand to be sharpened again.

Cass crossed the room for her sharpening stone. She quirked a smile and relaxed against her bed when a gentle humming filled the room. The stone and knife in her hands momentarily forgotten.

The princess’ tune… The rocking motion of their transport… And the rhythmic thudding of Max and Fidella’s hooves complimented each other well…

Cass hadn’t partaken in Rapunzel’s supposed-to-be-bathroom-break-turned-meditation this morning but she could allow herself to bask in the calm of the present.

Her eyes fluttered shut. Maybe danger could hold off for a _few_ moments…

_Thwack!_

A high-pitched scream coincided with the caravan crashing to one side and sent Cass flying to her feet. Before they’d fully stopped, Rapunzel leapt over the spilled paint jars on her bed, and flung the top half of the door open. The princess leaned out ahead of Cass, much to her chagrin.

“Is everybody okay?” Rapunzel asked breathlessly, “I thought I heard a child scream.”

“It was just Lance. The wheel’s broken,” Eugene deadpanned. He climbed down from the driver’s bench and said over his shoulder, “Don’t worry, I can fix it!”

“I knew letting those two drive was a bad idea,” Cass said, leaning against the lopsided door frame.

Rapunzel scurried over to the washbasin and transferred the pink and green paint splattered over her arms to a wet towel. “Oh Cass, they’re doing fine,” Rapunzel said, “After all, no one got hurt.”

“Yeah, except maybe Lance’s pride.” Cassandra resumed her spot on the floor and took to swiping her stone across her dagger’s edge.

“Oh and my journal…” Rapunzel groaned as she picked up her dripping book from the ladder. She shared a pout with Pascal. “Guess the entry for the Forest of No Return will just have to wait until tonight.”

Sliding down the ladder, Rapunzel flung the remaining half of their bedroom door open. “Come on, Cass! We don’t want to stay in here and make the boy’s work harder than it already is.”

“This coming from the girl who weighs about as much as a pixie.” Cass slipped her dagger back into her belt and followed her best friend around to where the boys were decidedly _not_ fixing the wheel.

“Blondie, I hope you have your sewing kit handy,” Eugene called from beside his fellow flexing peacocks, “Cause I believe I’ve just ripped through my sleeves!”

“Oh brother,” Cass said, “I’m _so_ glad we rushed out here for this. This could be a while.”

“That’s great!” Rapunzel exclaimed, turning eagerly to Cassandra. “It means we have time for a little adventure. And seeing as this is the most beautiful forest I have ever seen; I say we take a hike!”

Cassandra gazed into the dense forest behind them and rubbed her neck. She saw the nests of tweeting birds and their new hungry babies, saw the butterflies fluttering from flower to dainty flower, and felt and heard the gentle wind that caressed the towering pines. She saw everything Rapunzel was drawn to, but Cass also knew to look beyond the surface. Some of the nastiest traps had the most alluring bait. And unfortunately, Rapunzel had a knack for stumbling into traps. “I don’t know…”

“Or we could just hang out here,” Rapunzel mumbled.

Cass watched the boys and their ridiculous muscle contest for only a second more before she sighed. Running into a bear or getting lost couldn’t be worse than this. “Explore it is.”

“Yes!” Rapunzel laughed, grabbing Cassandra’s hand and dashing into the dense foliage without a second thought. “Let’s go!”

Following the princess over a quiet river, into a cave with glowing mushrooms where Cass tolerated Rapunzel painting their faces in glowing slime, through acres of vibrant trees, and up to the side of a thundering waterfall took up over an hour of their time. Even as vain as they were, Cass figured the boys had already fixed the dislodged wheel by now. And even if they hadn’t—which honestly, she wouldn’t have been that surprised if that were the case—they needed to get back on the road now and make up for lost time.

Keeping an eye on how close Rapunzel was to the edge, Cass discarded the pink daisy crown Rapunzel had plopped on her head earlier.

“Wow, the Cliffs of Koto. I’ve _always_ wanted to go there!” Rapunzel said in starry-eyed wonder.

“Nope, no can do. Koto’s a good two hours from here on foot. We don’t have that kind of time.”

“Says who?” Rapunzel snagged Cass by the hand and set off running once again.

After another quarter mile, they stopped at a small stream tumbling over a smooth bed of rocks. Cass planted her foot atop a stone out of the waters path and leaned on her knee, adjusting her sword sheath’s strap across her chest.

While Rapunzel stooped to drink, Cass tipped her face up to the gentle rays of sun falling through the trees and listened to the birds singing sweetly as they flew to and fro. As much as she hated wasting time on each of these stops the princess insisted on—and would never admit it—Cass still appreciated the beauty of these woods and the lack of danger they were finding here. The lack of loud, disgusting boys was quite beautiful too.

“Are you sure you can trust me with this?”

“Trust you with what?” Cass looked down to see her best friend with a handful of water paused before her mouth, a playful shine in her eye.

Rapunzel shrugged and pulled the water closer. “I mean who knows where my hands have been or who or what could’ve contaminated this water knowing we’d stop at _this_ stream in the forest out of all of the trillions of others we passed. And _I_ could’ve even put something in it while you weren’t looking…” She took a sip. “Well guess we’ll know in about… what was it you said? Fifteen minutes?”

Cassandra rolled her eyes. “Make fun all you want, Raps, it’s your life on the line.”

“Exactly,” Rapunzel said, standing to her feet. “It is my life. Which is why I still think you taste-testing for me is not necessary. It’s not like someone would actually try to poison me and even _if_ that were the case, I think I should still be able to take that risk myself.”

“Really, Rapunzel? Look, I get you want to have your independence and try everything, but getting _poisoned_? That should be one experience you can miss out on!”

“And let you experience it instead?”

“Yes, if the situation arises! That’s what I’m here for, Rapunzel.”

“To be poisoned?”

“To keep you safe.” Cassandra pinned Rapunzel with her stare. “It’s my responsibility to watch out for you, be your shield, and take whatever comes our way. And you need to let me do that.”

Rapunzel gave a short hum. The look in the princess’ clover eyes told Cass this conversation was far from over but Rapunzel spun on her heel and resumed trudging deeper into the forest. “How much further do you think until we reach the cliffs?”

It wasn’t long until they came into a heavily shadowed part of the forest. The sweet chirpings of numerous birds were swapped for the angry cawing of a few beady-eyed crows. Aside from this, the rest of the nature life seemed to hold its breath as though praying to be overlooked. This made for the easy detection of the cool wind’s howl.

“Do you even know where you’re going?” Cass groaned as Rapunzel leapt off a wide log down several feet onto a mossy mushroom-covered bed and she inevitably followed.

“No, but that’s what makes exploring so—Whoa!”

The mossy bed gave way to reveal the open mouth of a giant hollowed-out log that swallowed Rapunzel whole. Trying to grab her did no good for Cass was swallowed down next. The dead tree found no interest in detaining them and dumped them out at an undignified tumble to the edge of a clearing.

With a groan, Rapunzel finished her earlier statement, “—So fun.”

“Yeah,” Cass groaned back, “Real fun.”

Rubbing the twinging aches from her tumble-jarred muscles, unfamiliar voices caught Cass’ ear. This time she did grab the blonde. “Rapunzel!” She whispered, “Get down.”

Peeking through a thick row of plants, Cass observed a pink two-story home looming behind a middle-aged man and woman—Mother and Father, if what they were referring to each other as was anything to go by— in formal butter-yellow attire chatting animatedly in what looked to be the setting of a lacy and multicolored tea party.

Cass said to her friend, “Okay, we should probably…” She trailed off as Rapunzel stood and practically skipped out into the clearing. Cass rolled her eyes and sighed. Of course she would want to talk to them. “…Visit with the weird people drinking tea on toadstools in the middle of nowhere.”

Cass caught up to the princess’ side and scrutinized the table and dining wear as they neared. It seemed they’d been expected or were crashing their garden party before their true guests arrived as there were two places set and waiting. She suspected it was the former as the two weirdos smiled warmly, welcomingly, at their approach.

Cass’ instincts were screaming at her to leave this place. Now. She should just pick Rapunzel up, run back to the caravan, and tuck her away safe for the rest of their trip to the Dark Kingdom; Sitting on her if need be. But Cass respected her friend too much for that so she settled for telling her, “Remember our deal about public dining.”

Rapunzel’s lack of response was the opposite of reassuring. Maybe she _should_ consider sitting on her…

With an innocent wave, Rapunzel greeted the couple and introduced herself and Cass by name.

Cass folded her arms to keep from clamping a hand over the princess’ big mouth. “Way to lay low, Raps.”

The flamboyant and chubby woman—Mother, Cass supposed— said with a dazzling smile, “And what has brought ladies Rapunzel and Cassandra to our most humblest of abodes?”

Cass jerked her thumb at her best friend. “She dragged me.”

“Oh, our transportation hit a little bump in the road so we’re just doing a bit of exploring before we rejoin our friends,” Rapunzel said.

Cass didn’t like the scrutinizing look Mother and Father gave her; their attention focused most on her blades.

Father asked the princess with the same plastered smile as his wife, “And tell me, are the rest of your chums quite as bellicose?”

“Depends,” Cass said, folding her arms. “You got any friends around here as kooky as you?”

_“Cass!”_ Rapunzel admonished under her breath. Then to the couple, with an awkward chuckle, “I’m sorry we crashed your luncheon. I can see you had it all set up for your guests so we’ll just be on our way.”

Mother called out as they turned to go, “Oh no, please dears! You didn’t interrupt. For you see; _You_ are our guests!”

“Yes!” Father cried as he zipped over and pulled their toadstools out. “In fact, I was asking about your party size because—well as they say—the more the effectual. Please sit!”

They took the offered seats and Father bounded away with a hand-painted teapot to a well-stocked table against the house. Cass’ view of the tea pot and whatever concoction the man was making was blocked and that clenched it for her. They were definitely not having anything at this party.

“What do you mean by—Cass look!” Rapunzel gasped and sprung over to a display case behind Mother that contained blue and faintly sparkled eggs piled high in a hand-woven basket. “Wow, wouldn’t my dad just love these? Look at them; some even have polka dots!”

Father asked, “Your father is also an appreciator of such splendid trinkets?”

“Is he!” Rapunzel said with a laugh, hands on her hips. “He’s been collecting eggs since _way_ before he ascended the throne. I think he said he started when he was eight? Or was it ten?”

Mother choked on her tea and Father dropped a jar of water on the table with a heavy thud and scrambled to contain the spill before gaping at the princess and his coughing wife. “Oh Mother! Are—are we in the presence of royalty?” With a hand to his chest, he swept his towering, trembling, hat behind him with a deep bow. “We are absolutely honored, Your Highness…”

Yep. Cass was going to get her to her bunk in the caravan and sit on her. Cass stood and took Rapunzel by the hand, saying with a nervous chuckle, “Okay, time for us to get going.”

“Now don’t be rude, Cass.” Rapunzel gently pried off her grip, patted her gloved hand, and retook her spot at the table. “We just got here.”

“Oh yes, please stay a little longer!” Mother said, mopping the sputtered-out tea from her dress with a handkerchief. “We do so enjoy having the company.”

“And I have a pot of tea brewed fresh just for you!” Father rejoined the group with a twirl and filled their two empty porcelain cups before there could be another word of protest. He sat and said with a twinkling grin, “Now please, Your Highness, don’t let it grow cold.”

Cassandra sighed as Rapunzel smiled sweetly at her and pulled a lacy napkin into her lap. Time to get to work. Cass reached for Rapunzel’s tea cup—only for Rapunzel to scoop it up first.

Cass hissed through clenched teeth, “What are you doing? Give me the cup.”

She might just well have been invisible as Rapunzel continued to raise her cup and swirl its contents.

“Do not drink that. We had a deal, Rapunzel.”

With a glance at the strange grinning people across from them, Rapunzel whispered, “The deal is unnecessary.”

Cassandra didn’t waste another breath on arguing and snatched up her own cup. She flew through her memory banks of poisonous tints, scents, and came up with none to match the tea’s likeness. Still, she knew there were a few others that would pass the first two tests and she would’ve hesitated to put the liquid through the last test if she hadn’t seen Rapunzel’s cup nearing her lips.

Cass took a sip— And spewed it out into the grass.

She smacked Rapunzel’s cup out of her hands and toward the wide-eyed pair that dove out of the splashing tea’s path. Before the tea cup could even hit the table, Cass was on her feet, sword drawn, and pulling a stunned Rapunzel behind her. She seethed to the couple, “Did you poison our drinks before or after you found out she was royalty?”

Rapunzel’s hands tightened on Cass’ arm as she gasped her name but Cass didn’t take her eyes off the cowering snakes before them or the surrounding woods. Neither the man or woman answered her accusation but she hadn’t really expected them to. No, instead, it was an extravagant flock of birds perched on an artificial tree off to the side of the house that filled the tense silence with wild and frantic flapping and squawking. _Hurry_ , they seemed to say. _Run_.

Continuing to back Rapunzel up to the forests edge, Cassandra snapped her attention back to the couple. The oddballs leapt up—and holding tightly to hat and billowing skirts— they tripped up their stairs, each other, and into their house.

Fifteen minutes. Cass would’ve pursued them but she needed to get Rapunzel far from those lunatics and she only had about fifteen minutes. In just fifteen minutes the poison now racing through her veins would begin to take effect. Fifteen minutes and the princess would be all on her own.

She had to get her back to the others. Now.

Turning to the dark forest, Cassandra pushed the princess ahead of her and ordered, “Run, Rapunzel.”

For once, the blonde listened.

As they ran, Cass gathered the saliva in her mouth and kept spit, spit, spitting in the dirt and leaves. She couldn’t get that taste out. That unique bitterness. Scentless as it was, there was no mistaking the bitter taste of Strychnine. Cassandra hadn’t had one before, and she still didn’t have a favorite, but now she decided Strychnine was her _least_ favorite poison.

Dodging and leaping over vines, tree stumps, and rocks, Rapunzel asked with panic saturating her tone, “How much did you drink?”

“Enough.” Cass knew from her lessons that any amount of exposure to Strychnine was deadly. Even touching or smelling it would be enough to get in one’s system. The image of Rapunzel lifting her cup popped in her head and she asked in alarm, “You didn’t sniff the tea, did you?”

“No, I don’t think so,” Rapunzel said, but started to slow as she looked at Cassandra with wide and watering eyes. “But Cass, you—"

Cassandra just pushed Rapunzel on. “Keep going, Rapunzel. We need to put serious distance between us and those nutjobs.”

Rapunzel did as told and Cassandra kept spurring her on as they passed the waterfall overlooking Koto’s cliffs. Cass estimated they were still a good two miles from the caravan. A good twenty minutes at least; Minutes she didn’t have.

Panting, Rapunzel asked in a way that told Cass the question had been burning in her mind for a while, “Why would they do something like that?”

“Who knows? People don’t always need a reason but—” Cass hid her grimace from her friend at the sudden prickling pressure that crawled across her shoulders. “But I have a feeling they’re hiding something.”

“We need to find out what, right? I mean we can’t just let them hurt someone else who comes along.”

“We need to get you—you safe first. Then—then worry about them.” Cass stumbled over her own feet and clutched at her chest but managed to stay upright. She kept running, though each breath was starting to have a harder time finding its way in or out. Had it been fifteen minutes already? This couldn’t happen yet. They weren’t even close to halfway back. It was too soon. Way too soon.

Cass found her body arching without her bidding, her neck spasming at some invisible assailant. She was thankful Rapunzel hadn’t noticed she was lagging behind and was speeding further through the trees as Cass’ body gave a more forceful jolt. But the crushing heat wave of pain that rolled through her body with the next spasm sent her sprawling over a large tree root and had Cass crying out—and that had the princess instantly changing directions.

“Cassandra!”

Fighting the spasms, Cass tried to lift herself to her hands and knees. But her muscles fought back. Cass pressed her head against the dirt and gasped—or rather tried to—at the sensation of claws raking down the inside of her throat. Another searing spasm had her curling in on herself and then hands appeared under her arms.

“Cass! Cass, can you hear me?”

Cass fought the princess’ hands pulling her upright. “No. Rapunzel, you have—have to get—”

“ _I_ am not doing anything,” Rapunzel said, taking Cass’ scalding face in her hands. Determination crackled in her worried green eyes. “ _We_ are in this together, okay?”

Cassandra’s nod wasn’t entirely of her own volition but Rapunzel accepted it all the same. Cass groaned against further spasms and the motion as Rapunzel threw her arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a run once more.

Their pace was much slower and they didn’t get far at all before they had to take a break. Rapunzel breathing almost as raggedly as Cass.

From where she collapsed in the grass, Cass took the opportunity in between spasms to snap up at Rapunzel, “Get—get to— the caravan.”

Rapunzel guffawed in return, “I am _not_ leaving you.”

Cass wanted to rage at the blonde. Or better yet, toss her and that ridiculously long hair over her shoulder and rush her to the caravan. But as her lungs were slowly morphing into lead and her muscles rebelled against her control, neither of those things were possible. Instead, all she could do was lay victim to the merciless poison’s pain and watch. She watched Rapunzel’s gaze dart about the gently swaying and sun-showered foliage around them. Watched her rake her fingers through her golden locks and mutter through her shuddering breaths to herself about healing herbs.

“There’s got to be something, some antidote,” Rapunzel muttered, now pulling up random roots around them. “Ginseng? Goldenseal? Bloodroot, passionflower, mayapple— What’s the antidote? What’s the— Cass!”

Crying out and seizing from a stronger spasm that had her ripping out handfuls of innocent grass, Cass didn’t register the princess’ shaking arms cradling her close, holding her still, until her voice broke through. “—Stay with me, you’re gonna be okay. I promise, just—Cass,” Rapunzel lightly patted her cheek to get her to open her eyes again, “Cass, what was the poison?”

“Stry—” Cass groaned through another wave and forced her throat that felt it hadn’t known water in a hundred years to let out the name of her killer, “Strychnine.”

“What’s the antidote? How do I make it?”

“You can’t—can’t.”

“Don’t you even try to fight me on this, missy. I’ll find the ingredients and make it just tell me—”

She wasn’t getting it. Cass shook her head and gasped on the tail of another jolt, “You _can’t_.”

Rapunzel stilled. “There isn’t an antidote to Strychnine, is there?”

Cass shook her head again as best she could. It was just her luck to have the first poison she ran into be one of the few poisons without a counter remedy. There were treatments that could be given by a skilled medic in a fully supplied apothecary in the hopes of helping one survive the poison but no guarantee. And out here in the forest… there was no answer short of Rapunzel’s hair regaining its healing power.

Cassandra watched a flood of tears well in Rapunzel’s eyes and before her best friend could jump to either vainly cramming leaves down her throat or screaming for help and giving away their location to those wackos, she said, “This is exactly— why— why I in—insisted on tasting things— first.”

Rapunzel shocked her by shouting, “And this is exactly why _I_ insisted that you _don’t!”_

The princess broke down weeping and once she buried her face in Cass’ shoulder, Cass closed her eyes and said, “Better me— than you.”

Rapunzel sobbed her muffled disagreement but it didn’t change the truth of her words. Cassandra had always been disposable, replaceable; the princess never would be. Not to her kingdom, not to her parents or Eugene, and certainly not to Cass. Not ever.

Another group of sharp spasms came and went. In their wake, Cass realized despite not having run for several minutes now, her heart was still pounding, body pulsing, like she’d never stopped. High blood pressure— her textbook memory supplied. That wasn’t something to be worried about. And as painful and unpleasant as they were, neither were the spasms. It was only when the spasms began to ebb that it was a real problem. Because that was when her muscles would become paralyzed, and her ability to breathe would go from difficult to impossible.

Before she could get to that stage, Cass had so much she needed to say. So much she wanted to tell the princess that had become the best friend she’d ever had. The little sister she’d never expected. And beyond her good-byes, she had to get Rapunzel to listen to her and get up and get out of these woods. She had to get to safety. Because more than the pain of parting and unknown of dying, that was what Cass was afraid of: Leaving Rapunzel defenseless.

The corners of Cass’ mouth quirked. Not that defenseless was something Rapunzel would ever think herself to be. But glancing to the blue and well-worn satchel she’d gifted Rapunzel years ago laying with its meager contents spilled out on the forest floor, Cassandra realized the princess hadn’t even brought her frying pan with her. In that case, she would give her one last gift.

Fighting another deeply jarring spasm, Cass squeezed her trembling fingers between their bodies and tried to unbuckle her chest strap. On the fourth unsuccessful attempt, Rapunzel pulled back—wiping her flushed tear and snot streaked face— and helped her unfasten it.

“Is it hurting you?” Rapunzel sniffled.

Though it _was_ an added pressure on her tight lungs, it was too slight to make much of a difference. Cass shook her head. “Put it—on.”

Rapunzel froze and just stared down at her with those glistening eyes. Then she re-buckled the strap around Cass’ chest. “No. I’m not taking your sword, Cass.” That never-quit spirit straightened Rapunzel’s frame and she resumed looking around for a solution. “I am not leaving you and you are not leaving me. We will figure this out together.”

Cass opened her mouth to rebut, but a hoot came out instead. Cass’ wide-eyes met Rapunzel’s before it sounded again and they discovered the speaker swooping in from high above their heads.

“Owl!” Rapunzel cried, extending her bare arm for the bird. She winced at the talons that cut into her skin as he landed but held steady as she lowered Cass as carefully as she could back to the grass then dove to pull a pen and blank scroll from her bag.

Cassandra tried to smile at her loyal companion but another violent spasm overtook her and yanked a cry from her lips. Side-stepping restlessly on the princess’ arm, Owl flapped his wings and hooted in concern.

Rapunzel finished her message and tied it with a hair ribbon to Owl’s leg. “Find Eugene and lead him to us as fast as you can.”

The next second after Owl launched off of the princess’ arm, Rapunzel was behind Cass and lifting her under her arms to a sitting position once again. “I know Owl is fast, Cass, and I in no way mean this as an offense to him or to your training skills, but we are not waiting around.”

Before Cass could inform her that she couldn’t stand let alone run, Rapunzel was dragging her backwards. Quickly. In what felt like thousands of miles but was barely thirty yards, Rapunzel dragged her over rocks and scraping twigs and through ant hills and smacking plants and apologizing every inch of the way. Though Cass’ attention was more focused on the poison wreaking havoc on her body, the thought crossed her mind after a particularly bruising meeting with another rock and her hip that maybe Rapunzel would kill her first.

For the first time, Fitzherbert and Strongbow’s voices were welcome sounds to Cass’ ears.

“Rapunzel! Cass!”

Rapunzel gave a sob of relief and held Cassandra closer so as to cushion the fall as she dropped to her knees. “Eugene! Lance!” She called over her shoulder and another of Cass’ pained cries, “We’re here!”

The thudding of the former thieves’ boots and cracks of quickly parted plant leaves grew louder until Cass’ view of the forest canopy was replaced with Fitzherbert’s panicked mug. If air wasn’t such a difficult thing to come by now, Cass would’ve teased him about the concern or the leaf sticking out of his “perfect” hair.

Unaware of the amusement he was providing, Fitzherbert put a hand on both Cass and Rapunzel’s cheeks as he sized up the situation. “Are you okay? What happened?”

“We have to get to a Medic. There were these people and a tea party and we—and Cass got poisoned and I—"

“Did you drink, eat, or touch any of it?”

“No! But Cass—”

Cassandra’s next blistering convulsion and strangled cry had both men paling.

Eugene rushed out, “How long has it been and how long do we have?”

“It’s been almost an hour and I—I don’t know how long we—"

Eugene shoved off the cocoon of hair Rapunzel had wrapped Cass in for the last couple yards and said, “Koto is five miles from here, we’ll head there.”

No one wasted time on another word as Eugene scooped Cass up in his arms and they took off running for the caravan. And all Cass could think was yep, this was _definitely_ her least favorite poison.

* * *

Once inside the caravan, things went by in a bit of a blur. Everything was a haze and inconsequential to the unending tidal waves of scaping pain that consumed Cass’ world.

Voices she assumed belonged to Rapunzel and Fitzherbert echoed from all around her. The voices shushed, groaned, demanded, cried, muttered consolingly, moaned, pled, screamed. Some of them might have been her own though she couldn’t begin to guess how she’d gotten the air to make such sounds.

Then she was drowning in more than just pain. And hands and the voices were back and restraining and consoling. Cass couldn’t understand how the voices could console her when they were drowning her. But then again, she couldn’t understand how she could be drowning and yet more dry and thirsty and blistering than a desert.

Amongst more of those screaming and consoling voices, that drowning and non-refreshing water was swallowing her feet and lapping at her arms, her neck, and all the way to her brow.

One of the voices changed from screaming to a moaning sob and then the others resumed consoling and crying.

Perhaps worse than the drowning and the suffocating, was the seizing that was ruling her body. Spasm after spasm, convulsion following convulsion powered the spiked battering ram slamming into her. In the midst of another one, her body lurched up like a folding chair and took hold of something cold and heavy.

One of those voices and sets of hands appeared and unfolded her and took away the foreign object. Through the haze she could just barely make out the voice saying something like, “Don’t drink your foot water, Cass.”

Everything was crushing. Everything was fire. Everything was jolting. Everything was pain.

And then… slowly… everything was still. And air no longer existed.

One of those voices was back and though it was much, much quieter than before, she could just make it out and felt the strange urge to comfort the voice.

“—My friend’s been poisoned! Please help us!”

A few moments where the world spun and shook but pain was only a distant thrumming and not the cause. And though broken, the voices could be heard again.

“—She can’t breathe! She can’t—Please help her!”

More shushing. “— going to be okay, Sunshine. She’s going to be just fine—”

New voices came in, none as terrified as the others but still urgent. More demands. Questions.

Then everything faded.

* * *

The first thing Cass was aware of when she woke, was the tickling of eyelashes on her hand. The second was that her body felt like it’d just been tied to the bottom of the caravan and dragged across every terrain of the Seven Kingdoms. Okay, maybe those two were reversed. But she definitely noticed the odd sensation of fluttering eyelashes—and tears.

It was a surprising blessing to take a slow, deep, and mostly unhindered breath. She relished it before turning her head against the classic scratchy apothecary pillow to see who couldn’t let her have a moment to herself.

Cass wasn’t surprised in the least to see Rapunzel’s sleeping form at her side half in a chair and half on the mattress. Cassandra wrinkled her nose at the odd angle of her best friend’s neck and didn’t envy the crick she’d no doubt wake up to. But she didn’t say or do anything to wake her up. Not yet.

Cass looked over at the sheer curtain covered window across the way and the wavering early morning sun peeking through it and took another pain-free breath. She had no way of knowing if it’d only been a day that’d passed since the forest, no way of knowing if anyone had been sent back to apprehend those crackpots and uncover whatever it was they were hiding, and no way of knowing if Rapunzel was going to be any more willing to let her do her job after this event. But answers would come. Just not yet.

Right now, Cassandra just lightly stroked a tired knuckle across Rapunzel’s tear-stained cheek and echoed the princess’ words from the forest back to her in a whisper, in a promise, “I’m not leaving you, and you’re in _no_ _way_ leaving me.”


	2. Adjusting takes time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is set very early in season one, like around the timeline of "Beginnings". Big-sister/lady-in-waiting Cass to Rapunzel's aid!

In and over, complete the cross.

Over and in, begin the cross.

In and over, complete the cross and try to catch at least a fraction of what the instructor’s droning on about.

Over and in, begin a new cross.

In and over again, complete yet another cross…

Cassandra sighed and swept her gaze from her mending to around the peach hued meeting-turned-classroom.

Two halberd armed guards were planted like trees between vases of orchids on either side of the sole entry. She envied their ability to yawn without getting a stink eye.

Two exaggerated oval windows at Cass’ back sent grey light to bounce off the guard’s armor and back. The same prank was being pulled off the glasses perched above—and not much bigger than— the nostrils of the man sitting across the way.

“Your Highness,” The man said, “Can we please focus on the subject at hand?”

Beside Cass at the head of the table meant for eighteen but occupying only three, Rapunzel startled. She fed Pascal the berry they’d been balancing on his head and clasped her hands in her lap. “I’m so sorry, Count Daniels, what topic were we on?”

“It’s _Duke_ actually, Your Highness.” The stuffed shirt said, sniffing in his usual miffed way that wobbled his specs of spectacles. “We were discussing the upcoming dinner with Nesserdnia’s ambassador.”

“Ah, right, so sorry. Right, Nesserdnia! I love Nesserdnia! Nesserdnia is… the…” A bead of sweat appeared on Rapunzel’s forehead as her eyes plead with Cass.

Cass traced an invisible letter A topped with a crown on the skirt in her hands.

Rapunzel continued, “The… the kingdom with Queen Apalli and ambassador Seeves… who is coming to discuss trade agreement for their new crops of… squash?”

“No, squash is actually one of _our_ exports,” Daniels said, “Nesserdnia’s is bananas.”

Rapunzel groaned. “Bananas! I knew that. I had that stored away to just… just see if you were paying attention, Baron.”

“It’s Duke,” Daniels deadpanned.

With an apology, the Princess inched her way under the table and out of existence.

Now it was Cass’ turn to return the stink eye to the Duke.

He bowed out right after. Stuffy, but quite a smart, smart man.

* * *

“Cass, do you think I’m even meant to _be_ royalty?”

Cassandra shifted the wicker basket to her other hip sending the mended silk skirts sliding around and sent the unusually slow walking princess a side-eye. “Considering you were literally born for it, Raps, I’d say so.”

“You know what I mean.” Rapunzel bunched her fingers in her brown glitter streaked locks. Glitter _gunked_ was more like it. Cass tried not to look at it too long. The princess’ spontaneous crafting earlier that morning was going to take Cass all evening to wash out. Or maybe she’d need to just sheer the princess’ head and let her start over. That’d be a sight: A bare head and barefoot princess.

“It’s just—” The princess said, hugging her arm tighter than the golden railing as they descended the ivory stairs to the dining hall for lunch. “I’ve been here for a month already and feel I somehow know less than I did when I arrived.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Your Highness. No one is expected to be perfect in any new position; Including you. I can’t believe I’m saying this but you could actually take a leaf from Fitzherbert’s book. He’s not doing so hot in his new role—whatever that even is— and he’s not letting it bother him.”

The glitter in her hair was the only thing sparkling when the princess gave her a weak smile and laugh.

Cass nudged her once they’d reached the bottom stair. “You’re doing well.”

“You really think so?”

“I do. I wouldn’t give false praise.”

Now she was back to outshining the glitter. Cass couldn’t resist the smile that rose in return. Nearly everything the princess did was infectious. Even her stomach followed suit in growling after the brunette. They shared a giggle and continued their progress to the dining hall.

“But what do I even do about the dinner coming up?” Rapunzel asked, “What if I forget the ambassador’s name or the motions to their greeting? Which I found really fascinating, by the way.”

Cass snorted as her boss over-exaggerated the open armed bow. “I’ll help refresh your memory and practice with you all you need, Raps. But maybe taking notes couldn’t hurt either?”

“That’s a great idea, Cass!” The princess gasped. “I can paint the steps—!”

Papers and wooden brushes and who knows what else clattered and rustled around inside the princess’ new bag until the rummaging stopped. Rapunzel’s shoulders drooped.

Cass tightened her grip on the basket. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing.” Rapunzel flipped the flap of her bag closed. “I just thought I’d brought my paints with me. They must still be up in my room.”

Cass cocked a brow. Was that all? She turned back to the stairs. “I can get them.”

“Are you sure? I can just wait for later tonight.” The princess asked, worrying her hands. “I don’t want you to miss lunch.”

The juicy, peppery, chicken brine slithered through the air and wrapped her nose in a traitorous hug but she shrugged it off. She’d eat later. “It’s no big deal.” She nodded to the basket in her arms. “I need to take this up anyway. Do you need anything else while I’m up there?”

“No, thank you, Cassandra.” The princess called after her, “I’ll save you a plate!”

“No need!” Cass said, “I won’t be long!”

* * *

Three interceptions by a grouchier than normal Crowley and twenty minutes later, the paints still continued to evade Cass. There were over a dozen paint jars strewn around the room and huddled around the princess’ easel but those weren’t the ones she was after. Although she was beginning to consider just lugging two of the gallon jugs down at this point.

“Come out you little weasels,” Cass growled, resorting to upturning each cushion and pillow on the freshly made bed. It really shouldn’t’ve been this hard to find the darned things. Rapunzel painted all the time. And when she couldn’t be at her easel, she carried the small bottles that fit in the carved slots of a wooden palette with her. Cass had even caught Rapunzel sleep painting on a few occasions.

The princess was a sweetheart, but she really did have a problem. Or at least, Cass had a problem. Waking up in the middle of the night to the drooling princess leaving pink polka dots and smiley faces all over Cass’ mini-armory really wasn’t a fun experience. Scrubbing those off had been as much of a pain as getting the glitter out of Rapunzel’s hair was sure to be. Yet, she hadn’t had the heart to remove _all_ the spots—the ones on the back corner still remained.

“Maybe I should check my room,” She muttered. But as she straightened the frazzled pillows and rechecked under Pascal’s pillow and through the drawer of the nightstand, she thought again of the princess’ sleep-painting. Maybe they were underneath…

Cass dropped to the plush carpet and lifted the plum bed skirt. Yep. There they were. Cass blew her bangs out of her eyes and reached through layers of spider-like hair clumps and filmy dust. Her once white sleeve turned a darker and darker grey as she strained for the paints and palette. Cass scowled. She was going to have a talk with the maids responsible for these floors and this large missed spot later. The out of sight principle didn’t apply in cleaning.

Her fingertips were almost kissing the top of a porcelain bottle cap when the door opened to let three intruders in. Cass’ hand went to the dagger strapped to her leg before she recognized the squeaking of the laundry cart wheels. It seemed she wouldn’t have to wait to have that talk with her subordinates. But the issue of cleaning fled her mind when she heard their subject of gossip.

“…And did you see her feet at dinner last night?” One maiden whispered, “I nearly fell into Walter and the pudding!”

“Yes, but that’s nothing, she was with family. I, however, saw the tailor’s order for her outfit for the banquet with the Ambassador. Again: Not a mention of shoes!”

The gaggle of girls hummed low in their throats.

“Well if you ask me, someone should tell the Princess she’s not in the woods anymore. The palace is a place for culture and refinement, not—”

“Not running about like an abandoned waif on the streets?”

More hums.

“Yes! It’s just an embarrassment.”

“Well, that’s what she is: An embarrassment! The Heir she _may_ be but she’s all the more an embarrassment to the kingdom.”

“You said it,” Someone sighed, “And they better fix her fast or find someone better or we’ll be the laughing stock of the Seven Kingdoms. Honestly, she’s simply not fit to be a royal!”

Cass had heard enough. Blood boiling, she snatched the paints and stood.

The three trouble makers dressed in their orange peel-like uniforms, continued unloading the clean sheets and sheer drapes but froze with mile high armfuls when Cass said, “Care to repeat that?”

The closest maid yelped and toppled backwards with her pile into the cart. The boldest of the group tried to hide her quaking in her bundle and squeaked, “Lady Cassandra! We didn’t see you there!”

Cass crossed her arms. “Apparently.”

The maid’s gaze darted about the suite. “Is—Is the Princess in here as well?”

“Nope, just me.”

For some illogical reason, the maids relaxed. “Oh… well I guess we can agree to keep this conversation between us then,” The bold one said, “After all, it wasn’t anything everyone doesn’t already know.”

“That the Princess is struggling to adjust to her role?” Cass prowled around the star-canopied bed. “The role she’s extremely new to? Like the people standing in front of me?”

The sheets would all have to be rewashed as the backing maids were sweating all over them. “That’d be correct.”

“Hmm. Yes, I think we better keep this a secret. I would hate for it to somehow reach the King and Queen that someone was bad mouthing their daughter. Especially when one’s station is so… replaceable.” Cass smiled and batted her eyes. “Now that would be _embarrassing_ , wouldn’t it?”

The gossips nodded as one and abandoned their loads to scurry for the door.

It was all too easy but she wasn’t done with them yet.

“Oh ladies, one last thing.” Cass caught the door from the quivering wide-eyed maid. The girl rather resembled a chicken trapped in a fox hole. Cass grinned like she was that salivating fox that’d just come home and whispered, “The walls of this palace have eyes and ears. My eyes and ears. _And we are everywhere.”_

The maids ran shrieking and Cass just smirked in the doorway. It was way too easy.

“What was that about? Is everything okay?"

Cass turned to see Rapunzel running down the opposite hall. An overflowing plate of food in her hands.

“Oh them?” Cass swapped her boss the paints for the plate and waved dismissively toward the now vacant hall. “They were just asking what kind of paints you were in need of… Expensive, large jars of paint.”

Rapunzel turned as pink as her dress and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Wow, really? Why are they getting me gifts?”

“Well, it was supposed to be a secret but it’s for the welcome home party they’re throwing you this weekend.” Cass smiled at the Princess’ clapping happy dance and followed her back into her room. “Yeah, can you believe it? It’s all at their expense too, they insisted.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one I have to admit, I was not inspired for and really struggled to get written. I hope it was still somewhat enjoyable? Next chapter we'll be back to exciting action with Rapunzel and Cass facing off with a skin-walker set in season two!

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoyed!  
> Most of these one-shots do have a running storyline to them so remember what Rapunzel and Cassandra argued about in this chapter ;)
> 
> I can't wait to hear what you all thought in the comments below! :D


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